Top South African athlete
Oscar Pistorius should be released on parole
South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius leaves the High Court in Pretoria in 2016
© KAREL PRINSLOO / AFP
Top athlete Oscar Pistorius was at the peak of his career. Then he shot his girlfriend. He spent years behind bars. Now there has been a new decision in the case.
Pistorius is due to be released from prison in the capital Pretoria on January 5th. He was classified as a “first-time offender with a positive support system,” it said. A parole hearing was held Friday morning.
Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp through the toilet door
Pistorius killed his then-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with four shots through the toilet door of his villa. The proceedings against the former sprint star dragged on for years and went through several instances. Pistorius said at the time that he fired several times because he feared there was a burglar behind the door. But the evidence was against him.
The now 37-year-old has served about half of his sentence of 13 years and five months. Under South African law, he was automatically entitled to a parole hearing.
At the time of the crime, Pistorius was at the peak of his career. At the 2012 Paralympic Games he won six gold medals on specially made carbon prostheses. As a child, his legs were amputated below the knees due to a genetic defect.
Note: This article has been updated.